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Safety Alert: If you believe your computer activities are being monitored, please access this site from a safer computer. To immediately exit this site, click the escape button. If you are in immediate danger, contact 911, a local crisis line, or the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224.

While the number of studies examining intimate partner violence (IPV) in Latin@ populations is growing, research on this issue continues to be limited in quality and breadth. We have compiled what we believe are the most current data on this topic and summarized it below.

Prevalence & Occurrence of IPV

National statistics about the experience of IPV among women in the United States and throughout represent estimates that may vary by different methods of data collection. The various strategies used by researchers to collect data (e.g., phone vs. in-person surveys), the specific questions asked (e.g., number of acts of physical violence vs. the context of the violence), and the social/community conditions where the study is conducted (e.g., new immigration laws) all impact the results of the study. For Latin@s, the language in which the study is conducted (including the use of variations in the Spanish language) can also affect the results. Below we present some of the most recent prevalence information published on Latin@ populations. It is important to remember, however, that these findings must be considered within the context of the issues outlined above and may be limited in their representations.

63%

of victimized women experienced multiple acts of victimization

Approximately 1 in 3 (29.7% to 37.1%) of Hispanic/Latino women have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner in their life time and 1 in 12 (8.1 %) of Hispanic/Latina women experienced this violence in the previous 12 months12,13.

This rate is approximately the same as for women from other racial/ethnic groups. In fact, a recent study found no significant difference across racial groups once socioeconomic status was taken into consideration4.

Reported rates of IPV were lower for Mexican immigrants (13.4%) than for persons of Mexican descent born in the United States (16.7%)1.

These differences are consistent with other studies examining physical and mental health outcomes31, school achievement29, and substance abuse18. This surprising strength of immigrant groups despite the social and economic challenges they often face, has been labeled the immigrant paradox33. There are also differences among Latin@s based on their country of origin and level of acculturation; more years in the U.S. predicts poorer health outcomes. The apparent protective nature of being an immigrant is the subject of several current studies29,31.

Immigrant women (including Latinas) who are married are more likely to experience IPV than unmarried women6.

A study that included 2,000 Latinas found 63.1% of women who identified being victimized in their lifetime (i.e., interpersonal victimization such as, stalking, physical assaults, weapon assaults, physical assaults in childhood, threats, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, etc). reported having experienced more than one victimization, with an average of 2.56 victimizations5.

In a sample of over 300 pregnant Latinas, IPV during pregnancy was reported at 10% for physical abuse and 19% for emotional abuse14.

Research is beginning to document work related IPV among Latin@s. One study reported abusive strategies such as, on the job surveillance, on the job harrassment, and work disruption tactics. However, they also found strategies that were unique in a Latino sample, such as denying access to driver’s license, lying about childcare arrangements, and sending the partner to their country of origin temporarily13.

If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence and wants to access resources and support, please click here to be routed to the Casa de Esperanza website where you can access this information.

The National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities is a project of Casa de Esperanza that builds bridges and connections among research, practice and policy to advance effective responses to eliminate domestic violence and to promote healthy relationships within Latin@ families and communities. LEARN MORE